Star Fox: Black Sun (REVAMPED)

by Ray85

In a system recovering from the Anglar Blitz, the Star Fox team is called once again to defend Lylat from a new threat. However, they are joined by a questionable character, and the fate of Lylat may rest upon his shoulders as well as the team's. Being driven by his own reasons, a new fox named Axios chooses to aid the team as they hunt down a gang known as the Black Suns.

25. One

Hello Star Fox fans! Thanks for taking the time to read my story, and for especially reading this far. I appreciate all the feedback (I say that a lot but you know I genuinely mean it), and also appreciate the suggestions you are all making. Leave a review if you would like, and as always; enjoy the chapter!

24. One

~Fearing for his brother's safety, Axios quickly made haste to Corneria. He didn't think twice about the fact that he was a notorious bounty hunter trying to slip by the Cornerian Space Defense; he wanted to see his brother. As the hyper pod came out of its jump, Axios detached his ship and started to fly towards Corneria. Immediately upon arriving, he received a transmission from the same mysterious caller form Titania. "Seems like you've come after all…" the voice said.

"Where is my brother?!" Axios angrily demanded. "I came here like you asked, now where is he?!"

"You'll see him soon enough. He's alive, so don't worry your head over him."

Axios knew he wouldn't get any response from his tantrum, and so he took a deep breath to calm his nerved. "What am I to do?" he asked.

"Just follow me. All will be explained in time."

"How can I follow you if I can't see you?"

To answer his question, Axios saw a fighter come from behind him and form up on his wing. To his surprise, it was the Archangel that was flying alongside him. He looked to the side and saw the figure of a wolf sitting in the cockpit. "That's my brother's ship!" Axios said. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Relax pup…" the wolf said. "You want to see your brother, then follow me and stay close."

The wolf pilot veered the Archangel away from Axios and Axios followed. The two fighters were casually flying through the Cornerian Space Defense with no interruptions. Axios was confused as to why the Cornerian frigates were not questioning or firing upon them. "What gives?" Axios asked. "Shouldn't they be firing upon us?"

"It's because these ships are on my boss's pay roll." the wolf said. "They won't fire on us."

After a few more minutes, Axios and the wolf brought their fighters into the Cornerian atmosphere. The wolf led Axios towards a small air way on the outskirts of a Cornerian city.

"We're landing there." The wolf said.

After another brief minute, the two ships were landing in the air way. As Axios landed his fighter, a group of hounds and mechanical soldiers surrounded his fighter. "Dismount your ship!" one of the guards said.

"What's the meaning of this?!" Axios asked.

"From here on out," the wolf said, "no more questions. Understand?"

Reluctantly, Axios agreed. With a chance to save his brother, he followed his orders. He opened the cockpit and jumped out of the Nightshade onto the ground. The guards immediately surrounded him and forced Axios to his knees and placed his hands on his head. He was looking around the guards waiting for something else to happen but they simply remained still.

After a brief moment, the wolf approached Axios. The wolf was tall, had black fur, and a white stripe running down the side of its left eye. He was wearing a black armored flight suit and had a pair of blasters on his sides and a knife strapped to his boot. "Time to move." the wolf said. "Get up and start walking."

Axios stood on his feet and was immediately disarmed by one of the guards. After he was stripped of his knife and blaster, another guard shoved Axios forward and forced his to walk. A group of guards remained behind to guard the Nightshade while the wolf and another group of guards led Axios towards a small building off the air way.

The wolf placed his hand on a scanner and a set of double doors opened revealing an elevator. Axios was grabbed from behind and his hands were bound together by a set of hand cuffs. As the group entered the elevator, Axios looked one last time at his ship and took a deep breath the thought that his life was coming to an end was beginning to sink in.

The elevator descended for a few minutes before finally coming to a stop. The doors opened and Axios was shoved out of the elevator. The wolf and the rest of the guards followed behind Axios and the group led him down a long hall way. "I'll take him from here." the wolf said. "Give me his weapons."

The guard that disarmed Axios gave the wolf his blaster and his knife. The wolf then placed a hand on Axios's shoulder and guided him to a set of black double doors. To Axios's surprise, the wolf actually removed his cuffs and gave him back his blaster and knife. "One piece of advice." the wolf said as he placed his hand on a scanner. "Be honest. He knows many things; more than you can imagine."

The double doors opened and the wolf simply stood at the entrance. Axios took a step forward into a large, darkly lit room and the doors closed behind him. He looked around and noticed that the room was circular with a single chair within the middle. He also noticed a figure sitting within the chair; however, he could not see the figure's face as there was a light directly above it shadowing its face. "Axios Faxton…" the figure said. "It's good to see you in one piece."

Axios was confused at first as he was told not to ask questions. However, he was speaking to a different person so he decided to speak regardless. "Am I allowed to ask questions?" Axios asked.

"You're allowed to speak." The figure said. "As far as questions, I will only answer the ones I deem fit to tell you."

Axios started to slowly approach the figure. "Then I'll start with this." Axios said. "Who the hell are you?"

"I am known by many names…" the figure said. "Some call me death. Others call me salvation. To my subordinates, I am known as Mr. Black."

Axios froze in his place. He was looking at the man who had sent them to the factory where they had almost been killed. Axios's anger took the best of him and he drew his blaster and pointed it at Black. "You're Black?!" Axios asked. "You're the one who had me and my brother sent to that god damn death trap! You also sent that Cornerian pilot to assassinate us! And you-"

"That was merely to test your abilities." Black said.

Axios was silenced at the comment. "What?" he asked.

"That pilot was sent to make sure that I had indeed found Axios and Corvo Faxton. I did not have any time to waste my efforts upon others.

Axios continued to approach Black to get a better view. However, before he could closely approach him, a glass wall stood between him and Black. He looked at Black and noticed that he was actually a rat. Black was also quite old, and was relying on a set of cybernetics implanted into his back to prolong his life span.

His hair was white, and his whiskers were long and hanging down the sides of his nose. He was wearing a black, hooded robe with white decals throughout the body. On top of the black hood, there was also a white, jagged edged ring which carried some meaning as far as Black's robes (cover photo any one? :D).

Black looked up at Axios from his chair and stared into his eyes. Axios noticed that Black's eyes were half masked form the edge of his hood. However, he also noticed one of Black's eyes was glowing red, and the other eye was actually blue. "Does my appearance surprise you?" Black asked. "Do I look that old in your eyes?"

"You look like you've had better days…" Axios said with a laid back expression. "That's for sure."

Black actually chuckled at his comment and slowly stood from his chair. He stood roughly two feet shorter than Axios. Axios noticed several bundles of tubing coming up from the ground into the back of Black's robe. "I have lived for nearly two centuries now…" Black said. "I have seen the birth of an empire, and the fall of many others. I have seen star bring life to systems light years away from Lylat. I have seen the rise and fall of kings themselves. But if there is one thing that I have not seen yet, it is the fall of corruption; too long corrupt politicians sit on their thrones of power, and misuse their privileges. For too long I have been watching and been able to only do nothing. My time is coming soon, and I have yet to leave my mark in this world of corruption."

Black walked up to the glass wall and held out his wrinkly old hand at Axios. "That is why I need your help." He said. "I need young warriors such as yourself to aid me in my mission."

"Before I do anything," Axios said, "I want to know about my brother. Where is he? Is he all right?"

Black reached into his robe and pulled out a cane. He slowly walked to the side and tapped his cane on the ground twice. A section of the wall to Axios's side rotated and revealed a monitor. Axios walked over to the monitor and saw Corvo within a surgical room. He saw Corvo unconscious under a set of bed sheets and an oxygen mask over his face. "Corvo…" Axios said as he placed his hand on the monitor. "He's alive!"

"Your brother is being cared for as we speak." Black said. "The leapers that attacked him had severely damaged his body, and he will require extensive surgery to be treated." Black noticed Axios's shoulder drop and his face turn to shock. "Do not be alarmed." Black said as he walked back towards his chair. "If your brother's resolve is as strong, he will do just fine."

Axios walked back over to the glass wall and faced Black. "All right." Axios said with relief. "What do you want with me?"

"What I said last time we spoke." Black said. "I have a mission that will require your skills. Since you brother is currently incapacitated, you will carry out this mission with my agent, Lester." Right on cue, the double doors opened behind Axios and the black wolf entered the room. "You and Lester will carry out this assignment. He will be your comrade in battle, and your brother in arms. Listen to him, and have him also listen to you. I am depending on your success."

Lester walked up and joined Axios. "Forgive me for your treatment upon entering this place." Lester said. "But I had to make sure you followed orders."

Axios was reluctant to offer his forgiveness. However, he took a deep breath and held out his hand. "Fine." Axios said. "You're lucky I didn't snap your neck when you approached me up top."

"Uh-huh…" Lester said as he shook Axios's hand.

"Before I do any mission, I want to know what's in it for me and my brother."

"Upon your success, you and your brother will be given a purpose once more. We will provide you with shelter, security, and the needs of survival." Black said. "In return you will become one of us, an agent against corruption that will strike against its heart."

Axios was stirred by Black's words. Black made it seem like he wanted Axios to become a freedom fighter. Axios paced off to the side and thought about it hard. It was the first time he had to make a major decision for him and his brother. They were being offered a place to live, a line of work, and the cause seemed to be pure.

He thought about what Corvo would say, and he remembered something Corvo told him in the past when they first became bounty hunters. "For better or worse…" Corvo said. "We need to take the opportunities when they come because if we let them slip by; we'll never experience the life we could have had."

Axios turned back towards Lester and Black. "I'm speaking for my brother when I say this." Axios said. "We'll do it. We'll stay here and fight alongside you. You keep your word, and we'll keep ours."

Black and Lester smiled at Axios for the decision he made. "You will not regret your decision." Lester said.

"However, we'll do this on one condition."

"Name it." Black said.

"This base seems to have very tight security, and the people looked at me with some unsatisfactory gestures. I want free access to this entire base for me and my brother. Furthermore I want respect from your men. If I'm going to live my years fighting for this cause, I want to be treated like family."

Lester looked at Black and Black nodded his head at Lester. "You'll be given full access." Lester said. "And you can meet the rest of the team as well."

"Team?" Axios asked.

"I have five other agents that joined my organization under similar circumstances as you." Black said. "All of them alone with no place to return to for shelter. I offered them a home and purpose, and they accepted just like you. With the latest edition of you and your brother, I now have eight elite trained soldiers by my side."

"Eight of us huh? And what exactly is this organization called?"

"We are known as the Black Suns; the guardians of Lylat and all her people."

"The Black Suns…" That name sunk into Axios. After a brief minute of contemplating his choice he was filled with hope and joy. He had found a purpose in his life and he found a new group of people he and his brother could rely on. For the first time, Axios felt safe as if he had people to care about and people who would care about him. "All right, what's the mission?" he asked.

Black returned to his seat and sat back down. He raised his cane into the air and a series of monitors appeared on the walls around Axios and Lester. They saw images of a Cornerian officer and images of a ship in orbit over Corneria. "This man is Captain Lloyd." Lester said. "He's going to be our first target."

Axios started to read the information presented to him on the monitors. He learned that Lloyd was being paid off by bounty hunters for their ease of access in and out of Corneria's orbit. The fact that credits was buying his loyalty rather than respect and honor was insulting in the mind of Black.

"This is simple corruption at the surface." Black said. "The Cornerian military is no longer suited to govern Lylat. They have been tainted with officers who abuse their privileges, and they do nothing to prevent the corruption from spreading."

"We're going to kill him?" Axios asked.

"We will do what we must to prevent the corruption from spreading."

Axios was silent. However, he had killed many people in his career as a bounty hunter. "All right." he said. "Where do we find him?"

Axios and Lester looked over the information for several more minutes. After they were ready for their mission, the left the room and Black was alone. After a brief minute, Black pushed a button on the arm rest of his chair and his chair started to move to the opposite end of the room from the entrance. He pushed another button and the wall in front of him started to rise. Black was now looking through a glass wall into a brightly lit room. He was looking into Corvo's operating room, and Black pushed another button on his chair and spoke. "Status." he said.

A hare approached the glass wall. "He has severe cuts and gouges throughout his body." The hare said. "We can't save his arms and legs meaning they'll have to be replaced. There are also severe cuts throughout his chest and one of his eyes had been gouged out. He's simply lucky to be alive at this state."

"He's no good to me like this. I am authorizing the use of cybernetics to save him. I want him combat ready within a week."

"It may take longer. There is also severe neuron damage and he still needs to recover from shock. He may not-"

"Maybe I wasn't clear. Replace his limbs with mechanical ones, apply cybernetics to his chest where needed, and give him a new eye. I want him ready in one week."

"Very well."

The hare returned to Corvo's side and waved the doctors over. He pressed several buttons on a console in the wall and a set of robotic arms came down from the ceiling with blades and utility tools. Black watched as the arms one by one started to work on Corvo with the doctors' aid. After a few minutes, Black could hear Corvo scream within the room. His screaming could echo throughout the entire room and the doctors could not put him out at the moment. He had to endure the pain as he was receiving his first treatment of maintenance.

A week had gone by, and Axios was well immersed in the business of the Black Suns. He had befriended Lester, and had become well acquainted with the rest of the elite team. One day, he was summoned to Black's circular throne room. As he arrived, Lester handed him a black robe with the same decals and design as Black's. Lester and Axios entered the darkly lit room and noticed five others wearing similar robes. Black was standing in the middle as the other five made a circle around Black. Lester guided Axios to his spot around the circle, and then went to his. After wards, Black started to speak.

"The time has come." Black said. "The Black Suns have come to the strength it requires to combat corruption in Lylat; eight men strong to light the cleansing flames."

"Eight men?" asked one of the hooded figures. "I only see seven here gramps. I think you're short one."

Black pointed his cane at the figure that spoke. "What is your name…?" Black asked.

"Frederick Keen." The hooded figure said.

"Forsake your name. You are now a memory, hidden away in shadow. When in the light, you will be known as Eight."

Black pointed figure standing next to Eight. "What is your name…?" Black asked.

"Alex Lester." Lester responded.

"Forsake your name. You are now a memory, hidden away in shadow. When in the light, you will be known as Seven."

Black pointed to the next figure. "What is your name…?" Black asked.

"Tyler Cook." The figure responded.

"Forsake your name. You are now a memory, hidden away in shadow. When in the light, you will be known as Six."

Black pointed to the next figure. "What is your name…?" Black asked.

"Kotar Reverant." the figure said.

"Forsake your name. You are now a memory, hidden away in shadow. When in the light, you will be known as Five."

Black pointed to the next figure. "What is your name…?" Black asked.

"Jason Murray." The figure said.

"Forsake your name. You are now a memory, hidden away in shadow. When in the light, you will be known as Four."

Black pointed to the next figure. "What is your name...?" Black asked.

"Alphonse Trace." The figure said.

"Forsake your name. You are now a memory, hidden away in shadow. When in the light, you will be known as Three."

Black then pointed at Axios. "What is your name…?" Black asked.

Axios was hesitant at first. He didn't think he'd be initiated into a secret society with such high esteem such as the ritual he was in. However, he looked at the others as family, and continued on with the ceremony. "Axios Faxton." he said.

"Forsake your name. You are now a memory, hidden away in shadow. When in the light, you will be known as Two."

Black then pointed to a figure that was approaching them from the shadows. This figure also had the Black Suns robes, and joined the other seven in the circle. No one knew who this figure was, but Axios felt something familiar about his presence. "What is your name…?" Black asked.

"Corvo Faxton." Corvo said.

Axios froze as Corvo turned his head to face Axios. Corvo smiled at Axios and Axios felt a tear brewing in his eye. Corvo placed his hand on Axios's shoulder to calm him. "I'm proud of you." Corvo happily whispered.

Axios smiled and then returned his focus back to Black. He even noticed Black smile at the two brothers and he continued his ritual. "Forsake your name. You are now a memory, hidden away in shadow. When in the light, you will be known as One."

Black lowered his cane.

"We are the Black Suns." he said. "Agents hidden within the shadow, and guardians of Lylat. We will rid the system of corruption and strike down the Cornerian military that feeds it. Together, we will bring order, and rebuild Lylat with ourselves at its head. We will resurrect Lylat and become its rulers, and then our empire will expand above and beyond."

The eight men standing around Black kneeled before him. "We are the Black Suns." Black said. "Agents of the shadow, and guardians of Lylat. The men in this room are now brothers, and will fight as one. With our sword, we will destroy corruption. With our shield, we will protect our family. With our lives, we will share our trust. And with our skills, we will achieve greatness."

The eight men stood again. "You are all now Black Suns." Black said. "As of this moment, we take our steps towards eliminating corruption.

With the ritual now complete, the eight pilots of the Black suns had been initiated. Axios and Corvo took time to catch up, but Corvo never told Axios about his implants. Black had instructed him to never let Axios know what was done to him and to never reveal his true self to Axios. The memories continued to encircle Corvo's mind with every session of maintenance he would need to manage his cybernetics.

With the needle injecting fluids, One continued to scream within the room. The pain was agonizing, and until the final drop of red fluids was inside him he would continue to endure his pain. After a brief moment, the needle had finished and the pain had seized. One started to pant slightly and the mechanical locks that held him in the disc released him. He was dropped onto his hands and knees and his flashbacks ceased to continue. One's hate of those flashbacks returned to him and he raised his chest and looked up.

"AXIOSSSSSSSSS!" One said.

One started to repeatedly pound the ground and his pounding left a crater in the ground. However, his anger ceased when he heard a familiar voice behind him. "The pain…" the voice said. "The pain will never stop. They are like battle scars, and they will never fade."

One stood from the ground and walked to the wall on the other end of the room from the entrance. As he walked, the mechanical arms retracted back into the ceiling and the lights started to turn off behind him. One reached for the wall and pushed a button. He watched as the wall rose into the ceiling and he was looking through a wall of glass. The room was a darkly lit cell with a red black light. One looked at the black robed figure sitting in the center of the cell completely motionless. He also looked at the tubing that came from the ceiling and the ground and went into the figures back.

"Your anger must never get the better of you, One." the figure said. "For your brother is not your greatest enemy; your greatest enemy lies within you."

One lowered himself and kneeled before the figure. "Master Black…" One said. "Forgive me."

Black looked down upon One. He was physically incapable of moving, and the tubes connected to his back were feeding him the nutrients and medicine he needed to survive.

"One by one our brothers have entered the void" Black said. "And the Cornerian military remains in control of Lylat. This can no longer remain a reality."

"No it can't." One said. "And I will make sure the military will shatter."

"My spies indicate that the military is coming to Venom to destroy us. Protect the Shroud, and protect the base. I am counting on you. Once you have destroyed the fleet, take the Shroud to Corneria and use it to destroy the planet's capital city."

One stood in front of Black. "Destroy the Cornerian military." Black said. "Destroy Star Fox. And if you must, destroy your little brother."

Black waved his arm at One and One left the room. War was coming, and the time came to prepare. The assault on the Black Suns was about to begin.